The present invention relates to a sanding or finishing tool and to a method of making such a tool which has at least one profiled or contoured surface covered with a grinding or sanding material or a very fine finishing material such as emery powder.
For sanding or grinding the surfaces of moldings having a profiled surface contour or cross-section and for sanding or grinding the edge surfaces of panel type work pieces tools are required which have a counter profile matching with the surface configuration or profile to be finished. The counter or matching profile of the tool is coated with the grinding material. It is known to make such sanding or grinding or finishing tools of rubber, cork or similar materials, whereby the counter or matching profile is machined into the tool, for example by a grinding operation. Thereafter, a grinding cloth is secured to the machined surface of the tool, for example by an adhesive bonding. Due to the machining operation, the manufacture of such tools requires a substantial number of man-hours and is thus expensive. Moreover, the desired counter surface or matching surface configuration is not always free of faults, especially when sharp corners and edges must be covered with the grinding cloth. Thus, prior art tools do not always avoid that when they are used they actually change the configuration of the molding profile that is being sanded or finished.